Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-05-01
MAKING SMOKE PICTURES
A New aud suggestive Method OF Mat
ing BLACK and white Work.

Painters are proverbial inventors. They
Were more 80 in old times than at pres
ent, for at that time nothing was estab-
lished and every painter had 10 make his
own colors, canvases. and sometimes the
implements he used. Nowadays they
are still AN inventive class, for TO secure
a method of painting which shall be dis
tinciive of his W work only a painter
is obliged to try new processes and COM
binations Of processes until he reaches
one which thoroughly satisfies his de-
sires. The results Of such researches are
sometimes s.rn in our exhibitions, especi-
ally in black and white work. The
monotype. a painting made with printers
ink ON "A waXcd paper, is one of the more
recent inventions Of the kind. The
perulinritv of the monotyT was its
facility Of handling and a certain rich
quality Of color which compared well
with the etching. The first monotype
was made on a copper plate, and then
was transferred tn paper. having been
apparently suggested to the author by
the rubbing process in etching. Only
one impression Of such a plate could be
made, and the experiment has proved
practically useless TO the arts.
A still more recent invention, and with
more novel and valuable effects. is Mr..
W. Hamilton Gibson's ''smoke picture v
Several Of these smoke pictures were re-
Gently shown in the rooms of the
Authors club, where they received very
general commentator for their broad
and striking effects.
The smoke picture appears to be
something entirely new. Ii may lie
briefly described as a black and white
made by a gas flame upon "A cardboard on
EIpr ground. In Mr.. Gibson's first ex
rerimrmls he held the paper before a hori'
zonLal flame, and by passing one part
after another across the flame secured
masses of Iampblack, which he found he
could manipulate afterward to great pic.
torial advantange. In this awkward
manner he was able TO evolve a land
scape Of decided sugg~estiyencss. Later
he attached a rubber tube to his gas fix
turr, and with IA suitable nozzle ut the
end was able to sit before his easel and
manipulate the gas pipe as he would !;
brush. After this innovation he Wa
able 10 obtain greater accuracy and t.
study better his effects.
After the paper has been coated we'll
with varying shades Of gray and black IL
presents perhaps the suggestion only at u
landscape ur figure. Dctail may then IL,
put in with a brush. with the finger, ~
with any desired implement. Where the
removal of the hlack 10y this means leaves
too white a surface the gas flame passed
quickly over it will suIduc il Js grad
ually us may le wished 10 a deeper tone,
In its present state the smoke picture is
in its infancy. hut il is certainly a prom
Using one. Led to il bya desire to cum
some relief from the excessive detail Of
his ordinary method. Mr.. Gibson was as
tonishcl and charmed with the results ui
his experiment. Every touch Of the
flame seemed to suggest a new theme.
THE whulc wiIS broad. Yet marked with
%graduatinns ~ delicate as To br ininitablc
10y amy ordinary method of black and
white work. Meanwhile III" IOld and
intense llacks assumed a rich. velvety
texture and depth which seemed remark
able, Unfortunately. the quality dis
appears under a spray Of ~iixitiyC, the
liquid apparently forming a solution with
the lampllack. which loses it, character
ly the displacement Of it, PARTICLES.
Could some other method of preserving II
he found il would add 10 the sum Of nur
knowledge in ART "a new black 10y the side
of which the ordinary ivory and lamp,
backs would appear light.
The pictures which have thus far re,
suited from Mr.. Gibson's experiments arr
above all broad and suggestive. The pro.
cess is 80 rapid that its value for sketching
purposes is already assured. 1t show,
itself furthermore capable Of giving re'
markable qualities" being capable ol
the suficst AMI smOOthcst Of cvc surface
or of the most bold and broken. according
to the implements used TO manipulate it,
the texture Of the underground, or pccu-
l|iaritics Of application.
Mr.. Gibson hopes 10 carry his expert
ments still further and 10 test the value
Of his smoke picture for illustrative pur-
poses. Meanwhile the process is 50 easy
and material ~ cheap that numbers will
doubtless Try ii for themselves. New
York Commercial Advertiser.